“Is New York fashion exciting right now?” was one of the first things out of Erik Torstensson’s mouth at the start of his and Jens Grede’s Spring 2019 collection for their Los Angeles–based brand Frame. The answer was, well, it’s complicated. Yes and no. At the onset of fashion week, morale seems slightly low among editors and buyers who are focused on the U.S. markets. Maybe it’s due to a lack of newness, or maybe the global focus has shifted to the luxury European brands. Maybe it’s because morale throughout this country is in the pits thanks to a severely troubling political moment in our history. That being said, New York is flourishing with young upstarts at the moment, who are making interesting, albeit not always so wearable, clothing. Fashion is supposed to be about that kind of individually crafted fantasy and escapism. It’s supposed to be about artistic integrity and a passion for self-expression. Sometimes, though, as many who are entrenched in this industry may often forget, fashion is simply about living one’s life. It’s about what to wear to comfortably walk down the street, go to work, pick up your kids from school, travel somewhere near or far. Torstensson and Grede are all about this life. The clothes they design for Frame are meant to be lived in, to last a long time, to look and feel great, and to make us feel content. On top of that, these designers make clothes that are continually stylish without grasping on too hard to one single seasonal trend.